Studying Abroad in Barcelona

Yet another great dinner with Carles and I am raving because it was an incredible night incorporating many locales. Dinner at Restaurante Barceloneta on looking the Mediterranean at moonlight was only enhanced by great food and a natural ambiance Buffalo could never create. After dinner we walked along the harbor passing the Museu d’Historia and gorgeous sailboats lining the docks. It was time for drinks and he knew where we were headed: a pirate bar with the best mojitos in the city.

I had to agree with the mojitos however when he said pirate bar he was not taking it lightly. This place was adorned with mermaids, pirates, mannequins of Hook, and truly some of the scariest women I have ever laid eyes on (mannequins also, not the bartenders). We continued our late-night bar tour to the Travel Bar. There are a few Travel Bars throughout the city and they are perfect for nights you just want English and a good story. To this day Karrie and I have celebrated a bachelor party, mocked a quite well-known band unknowingly and entered at 8 am after a night out simply because we liked the song playing inside. The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army”, which one must take time to enjoy it especially after a great night out.

One club I have yet to mention and I see it as a necessity is Mirabe. It is about a 20 minute cab drive which split is not so bad but truly worth it. It is atop Mount Tibidabo and overlooks the entire city. The picture of my girls and I in front of that gorgeous backdrop is priceless. It is a must-see bar especially great for when people come to visit. Because yes we are expecting visitors from other abroad cities and we will not hold back anything Barcelona has to offer!

Quick story time. Our friend Alex has convinced us that the bar Be Cool is going to be the next big thing so my girls and I took him up on it. Though the bar was good, a bit more relaxed than we were used to, it was after the bar closed that made this night one to remember. A crowd of about eight new friends gathered near the streets and found ourselves singing songs people know but are embarrassed of at volumes one shouldn’t perform even in the shower of an empty house. Belting out Moulin Rouge’s “Elephant Love Medley”, I held nothing back. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Karrie had recorded our concert on her camera and our performance was officially documented. Song after song, be it Disney, Madonna or Tom Petty, we hit all sorts of classics. Embarrassing? Sure, but possibly the two best hours obtained here in Barcelona.

Unexpected events are as common as bums filling the streets. They come time after time and embracing them only make things more interesting and memorable.

Inhibitions are low at all hours of the day and impulse is the driving force. The face that I have such a limited time here makes it hard not to make every day different. So Karrie, Cabibbo and I continue to go out, dance like no one is watching and make friends that regardless the shelf-life, will enhance this experience by opening us to new kinds of people. The group of friends we have acquired here is filled with party promoters, students, musicians, and filmmakers. They come from countries such as Belgium, France, Holland, and England. There is no prototype for someone living in Barcelona, everyone fits in and brings something new and different for us. If only social groups back home were more diverse we could see the dynamic of different cultures, hobbies, and interests collide smoothly at an earlier age.